Multiple programme rotary switch actuator with cam limit apparatus



Nov. 16, 1965 R. J. P. DUFOUR 3,218,402

MULTIPLE PROGRAMME ROTARY SWITCH ACTUATOR WITH CAM LIMIT APPARATUS Filed Aug. 12, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet l W TZKJ ZM M @94 4 Nov. 16, 1965 R. J. P. DUFOUR MULTIPLE PROGRAMME ROTARY SWITCH ACTUATOR WITH CAM LIMIT APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1965 N 1965 R. J. P. DUFOUR 3,218,402

MULTIPLE PROGRAMME ROTARY SWITCH ACTUATOR WITH 0AM LIMIT APPARATUS Filed Aug. 12, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,218,402 MULTIPLE PROGRAMME ROTARY SWITCH ACTUATOR WITH CAM LIMIT APPARATUS Robert Julien Paul Dufour, Houilles, France, assignor to La Telemecanique Electrique, Seine, France, a jointstock company Filed Aug. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 301,372 Claims priority, application France, Aug. 20, 1962, 907,322 3 Claims. (Cl. 20017) This invention relates to a rotary cam switch actuator, whose angle of rotation is limited, for example to a maximum of 60, but which is arranged so that it is possible to obtain at will several operating angles with respect to the neutral position of the actuating handle, with or without automatic return to this position. Another object of the invention is to facilitate modification of the action of the cams on normally open contacts (n.c. contacts) or normally closed contacts (n.c. contacts) of conventional switches. Another object of the invention is to conceive a mechanism having little depth between the operating handle and the switch itself, composed of very few parts, and arranged so that it suffices merely to modify the relative position of two or three of these parts to obtain a different programme of functioning. In this way, with only a single model of the actuator apparatus in stock, the manufacturer or distributor can deliver the apparatus to the customer already set with the desired programme of functioning. Such a switch actuator is suitable particularly for the control panels of machinetools.

In variable programmation switching provision must be made firstly for locking to its control axle the notch system which defines the stable positions and the travel limits of the handle, and, secondly, for the adjustable locking of the cams with respect to the control axle.

A switch actuator having a handle and a control axle and comprising a movable cam co-operating, through notches, with a projection (runner or ballbearing) mounted resiliently on the frame of the actuator is already known.

Its cam comprises external ramps or contact studs destined to act on the no. or n.c. switch contact provided.

Such an actuator also comprises a stop member fixed to the frame limiting both the travel of the handle and that of the movable cam.

The position of the cam with respect to the control axle is established by means of a non-sliding connecting member on the control axle.

The connecting member is integral with the cam.

Another type of switch actuator is known having a stop member fixed to the frame which limits solely the travel of a control handle. An extension of this handle or of its axle is pierced with apertures adapted to be traversed by the fixed stop member.

Finally, another type of known switch actuator has a control axle of quadrangular section on which can be slid a removable disc having a stud adapted to strike against fixed stop members on the frame. In this manner the disc limits the travel of the control axle and consequently that of the handle.

In the switch actuator conforming to the present invention the connecting member for the movable cam and the control axle is a removable and reversible member having the additional task of limiting the travel of the control axle as well as that of the movable cam, the said removable reversible member comprising apertures of which any one can be engaged by a fixed stop member on the frame, and means being additionally provided to interconnect in any of a variety of diiferent relative positions the travel-limiting member and the movable cam.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be brought out in the following description given with respect to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of the switch actuator according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of this actuator with the no. or n.c. switch contacts removed;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but in which the actuator has had the movable cam also removed;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded diagram of the operating handle (represented in two different normal positions), of a fixed annular bearing surface, of the removable and reversible member and of the movable cam.

In the form of embodiment illustrated in the drawings the multiple-programme rotary switch actuator of the invention comprises:

an external operating handle 1 having an axle 2. This axle has a cylindrical portion 2a, two parallel flats 2b and 2c, and finally a threaded portion 2d;

a fixed annular bearing surface 3 having a stud 4;

a flat, removable, and reversible member 5, pierced with a central rectangular opening 6 whose perimeter corresponds to that of the portion of the axle having the parallel flats 2b and 2c. This positioning member can be mounted either face-up or face-down on the axle 2 of the handle. It also comprises a peripheral lug 7 and four radial openings 8, 9, 10 and 11 of different angular dimensions and positions.

The openings 8, 9 and 10 are not bounded by an outer edge, whereas the opening 11 is so bounded.

The lateral edges of these openings are adapted to strike against the cylindrical stud 4 on the bearing 3 in order to limit the angular displacement of the handle 1;

an oblong movable cam 12 having ten notches 13 embedded into its rear surface, the lug 7 of the member 5 engaging with any one of these notches, thereby setting the relative positions of the cam 12 and the member 5.

At one of its longer sides the cam 12 has three semicircular recesses or notches 14, 15 and 16 and on the other of its longer sides it has three depressions 114, and 116.

These recesses and depressions are adapted to receive a cam-follower or runner 18 biassed by a spring 19. They thus define the positions and if desired, the automatic return of the handle by virtue of ramps 15a and 16a which follow the recesses 15 and 16, curved ramps 114a and 114b provided on either side of the depression 114, and other curved ramps 115a and 116a situated beyond the depressions 115 and 116.

On the front surface of cam 12 are a certain number of ramps 20 engaging with the push-buttons 21 of the no. or n.c. switch contacts provided (22).

The runner 18 is mounted on a lever 23 pivoting on a spindle 24 secured to the frame 25 of the actuator. The spring 19 is interposed between the lever 23 and an edge 26 of the frame 25.

Both the cam 12 and the runner 18 are made from a molded synthetic material contributing to the flexibility of the control.

A nut 27 locks the member 5 and the cam 12 together, these latter being slid onto axle 2, the first-mentioned on the portion of this axle comprising the flats 2b and 2c, the second-mentioned on the portion 2d of this axle.

The nut 27 screws onto this portion 2d which is threaded. It locks onto the shoulder formed on the axle by the flats 2b and 20, whereas the cylindrical portion 2a of the axle passes through a hole 28 pierced in the frame 25 and is supported in opening 3a in a sleeve having the bearing surface 3, whilst a slight longitudinal play exists with respect to the stop surface 1a and 5a.

These arrangements enable the actuator to have numerous different switching programmes.

Each of these switching programmes can be represented by means of a number of three figures or letters or other indicia, engraved for instance on the frame, thereby facilitating programmes setting without error.

The first figure could represent the normal position of the handle (either the position A illustrated on all of the FIGURES 1 to 4, i.e. in the longitudinal axis of the actuator, or the position B, perpendicular to this axis, as illustrated in FIGURE 4 only).

The second figure could represent the position of the flat removable and reversible member which has eight possible positions of fit onto flats 2b and 2d:

position A, opening 9 receiving the stud 4;

position A, opening receiving the stud 4 by rotation of the member 5; position A, opening 8 receiving the stud 4 by turning over the member 5; position A, aperture 11 receiving the stud 4 by rotation of the member 5; position B, opening 9 receiving the stud 4; position B, opening 10 receiving the stud 4 by rotation of the member 5;

position B, opening 8 receiving the stud by turning over the member 5;

position B, aperture 11 receiving the stud 4 by rotation of the member 5.

The third figure could represent the combination, with return, of the handle and the position of the cam 12 which has forty-eight different relative positions with respect to the member 5, these being decided by:

the positions A and B;

the rotations of member 5, face up;

the rotations of this member face down;

the six possible housings for runner 18, either in the recesses 14, 15 and 16 or in the depressions 114, 115 and 116. These different housing are obtainable by inclining the cam 12 according to the inclination a, b or c with respect to the transverse and longitudinal axes of the switch actuator and by turning the cam 12 'so as to present to the runner 18 its side 14, 15, 16 or its side 114, 115, 116.

Preferably, the choice of the angular positions corresponding to the movements of the handle, or the notches 14, 15, 16 or even the ramps 114a, 114b will be established by two separate marks at 90". For that, the runner lever 23 can take up, as desired, either of two symmetrical positions C and D and the spring 19 will be located either at or '31. Correspondingly, the cam 12 is rotated through 90.

These two methods of mounting thus correspond to either three or two positions. Each position is separated from its immediately adjacent positions by an angular interval of 30. The three-position combination is always symmetric with respect to one of the geometrical axes of the switch actuator, Whilst the two-position combination gives rise to the following choice;

two symmetrical positions at 15 on either side of one of the axes; one position on one of the axes and the other to the right; one position on one of the axes and the other to the left. It is thus possible to obtain: (a) with recesses 14, 15 and 16 and ramps 14a and two or three stable positions, the runner 18 being maintained in'the recesses 14, 15 and 16;

three positions of which two are stable, the runner being maintained for two of them and returned for the third, either by the ramp 15a or by the ramp 16a;

(b) with depressions 114, and 116 and ramps 114a,

115a and 116a:

two or three positions with return to one side, this side being selected at will to left or to right;

three positions with return from either side of a central position.

On the other hand the ramps 20 can be conceived so as to cause the simultaneous actuation of the push-buttons 21 in the two-position combinations.

In the three-position combinations the push-buttons 21 can be actuated either individually or successively.

Naturally the scope of the invention is not limited solely to the particular form of embodiment described by way of example, as numerous forms of embodiment can be constructed by a man of the art in the light of the teachings of this invention.

I claim:

1. A multiple program rotary switch actuator having switch contacts thereon comprising a frame having an opening therethrough;

a control axle supported in the opening in said frame;

a removable and reversible non-slipping connecting member attached to said control axle for rotation therewith having radial openings of differing angular positions therein;

a stop member secured to said frame and positioned for operative contact with the radial openings in said connecting member;

a movable cam mounted on said control axle locked in rotative relation to said connecting member having notches in one of its faces, external ramps on its opposite face in operative relationship with the switch contacts of the actuator, and recesses and ramps on its peripheral edges;

and a follower resiliently mounted on said frame and positioned for operative contact with the recesses and ramps on the peripheral edge of said movable cam.

2. The switch actuator of claim 1, further characterized y a lug projecting radially from the peripheral edge of said connecting member positioned for insertion into said notches in one of said faces of said movable cam.

3. The switch actuator of claim 1, further characterized said movable cam having an oblong shape and having said recess and ramps on its peripheral edges located on the longer edges of the oblong shaped cam.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,993,540 3/1935 Brogger.

2,435,857 2/1948 Werner 74-528 2,647,962 8/1953 Batcheller 200-153 X 2,794,103 5/1957 Moore et al 200-18 X 2,796,474 6/1957 Glogan 200-17 2,967,215 1/1961 Whiting 200-153 X 3,089,926 5/1963 Everard et al. ZOO-38 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner. BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Examiner. 

1. A MULTIPLE PROGRAM ROTARY SWITCH ACTUATOR HAVING SWITCH CONTACTS THEREON COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH; A CONTROL AXLE SUPPORTED IN THE OPENING IN SAID FRAME; A REMOVABLE AND REVERSIBLE NON-SLIPPING CONNECTING MEMBER ATTACHED TO SAID CONTROL AXLE FOR ROTATION THEREWITH HAVING RADIAL OPENINGS OF DIFFERING ANGULAR POSITIONS THEREIN; A STOP MEMBER SECURED TO SAID FRAME AND POSITIONED FOR OPERATIVE CONTACT WITH THE RADIAL OPENINGS IN SAID CONNECTING MEMBER; A MOVABLE CAM MOUNTED ON SAID CONTROL AXLE LOCKED IN ROTATIVE RELATION TO SAID CONNECTING MEMBER HAVING NOTCHES IN ONE OF ITS FACES, EXTERNAL RAMPS ON ITS OPPOSITE FACE IN OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SWITCH 